Spectrotypic analysis of humoral response in human hydatidosis.

The Spectrotypic patterns of anti-Echinococcus granulosus and anti-F(ab')2 antibodies were analysed in 13 patients with different forms of hydatidosis by means of isoelectric focusing (IEF), Specific anti echinococcus antibodies and specific echinococcus antigens were obtained by crossed affinity chromatography between patient serum and cyst fluid, as previously described (D'Amelio et al., 1985). A wide spectrotype in the pattern of anti-Echinococcus antibodies was observed, with strong homologies among the different sera mainly at acid and neutral pH. One serum displayed faint, nearly in apparent bands. Conversely, the pattern of anti-F(ab')2 antibodies in the six patients in whom they were positive was limited but heterogeneous, ranging from monoclonal through oligoclonal to polyclonal. A predominant clone was identified in the patient with a polyclonal pattern. A correlation between qualitative IEF spectrotypic patterns and the quantitative results of immunoenzymatic assays was observed for both types of antibodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]